The SBR Newsletter

• Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris, reviewed by Cheryl, 44th & 3rd Bookseller in Peachtree Corners, Georgia
• Eradication by Jonathan Miles, reviewed by Christina, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama
• Traversal by Maria Popova, reviewed by Megan, The Underground Bookshop in Carrollton, Georgia
• Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean, reviewed by Amy, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama
  
• Yulu’s Linen by Cao Wenxuan, reviewed by Kimberly, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, reviewed by Gabriela, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Raising Hare by Chloe Dalto, reviewed by Cathy, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida
• Bookseller Buzz: Kin by Tayari Jones, reviewed by Burch, Righton Books, St Simons Island, Georgia; Kala, M. Judson, Booksellers, Greenville, South Carolina; Kandi, Wordsworth Books, Little Rock, Arkansas; Jude, Square Books, Oxford, Mississippi 

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March 1, 2026

March books to watch out for.

Based on the conviction that you can never have too many good books, Read This Next! is a list of books coming out next month that Southern indie booksellers are especially excited about.

Read This Next! March

Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell

Fridman-Tell writes characters whose thoughts, worries, and flaws spill off the page into people and experiences I’m sure most readers know in some way. This was a simultaneously familiar and altogether unique reading experience.  –Tori, Union Avenue Books in Knoxville, Tennessee

Whidbey by T Kira Madden

The best thing about this book was how nuanced it is while still telling a story that never excuses horrific behavior. She manages to capture the gray in every character, showing us the full range of humanity in both the victim and the perpetrator, as well as the people who love each. – Kandi, WordsWorth Books in Little Rock, Arkansas

A Suit or a Suitcase: Poems by Maggie Smith

This beautiful poetry collection looks at the connection between mind and body and the ways our sense of self shifts over time…A quiet, powerful read that stays with you. – Sandra, Hills and Hamlets Bookshop in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia

In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man: A Memoir by Tom Junod

Our fathers were still our fathers, and we love them regardless of their foibles as this elegant and elegiac memoir shows. Tom Junod took me back to my childhood and I saw my father, and with an honesty I don’t have shares with us with his father warts and all. – Pete, McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina

The Creek, The Crone, and the Crow by Leah Weiss

It’s a gift and a joy to read one of Leah Weiss’s books. Her descriptions of the natural world and well-crafted characters stay with you for years. She writes intelligently yet lovingly about Appalachia and the people who live in the small community of Baines Creek. – Mary, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Featuring reviews of:

• Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris, reviewed by Cheryl, 44th & 3rd Bookseller in Peachtree Corners, Georgia
• Eradication by Jonathan Miles, reviewed by Christina, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama
• Traversal by Maria Popova, reviewed by Megan, The Underground Bookshop in Carrollton, Georgia
• Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean, reviewed by Amy, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama
  
• Yulu’s Linen by Cao Wenxuan, reviewed by Kimberly, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, reviewed by Gabriela, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Raising Hare by Chloe Dalto, reviewed by Cathy, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida
• Bookseller Buzz: Kin by Tayari Jones, reviewed by Burch, Righton Books, St Simons Island, Georgia; Kala, M. Judson, Booksellers, Greenville, South Carolina; Kandi, Wordsworth Books, Little Rock, Arkansas; Jude, Square Books, Oxford, Mississippi 

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• Eating Ashes by Brenda Navarro, reviewed by Charlie, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
• Just Watch Me by Lior Torenberg, reviewed by Ryan, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina
• Linger by Hetty Lui McKinnon, reviewed by Jamie, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  
  
• Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown, reviewed by Eden, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
  
  
• Eyes, Knees, Boundaries, Please! by Eyes, Knees, Boundaries, Please! by Krupa Bhojani Playforth, Julia Bereciartu (Illus.), reviewed by Kait, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama
• Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta, reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  
  
• Vigil by George Saunders, reviewed by Savannah Laughlin, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
• Bookseller Buzz: All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson | 2026 Newbery Medal Winner, reviewed by Sheri Bancroft, Novel., Memphis, Tennessee; Jenny Gilroy, E. Shaver, Bookseller, Savannah, Georgia; Lupe Penn, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The week of February 3, 2026

February books to look out for…and a scavenger hunt!

Voting has closed for the Southern Book Prize, but readers can still have some fun learning about the finalist books while we wait for the winners to be announced on February 14th. The Southern Book Prize Scavenger Hunt starts on Monday. Visit SBR on Instagram Monday morning to start your whirlwind tour through the Southern Book Prize books and the booksellers who love them. People who finish the Scavenger Hunt can enter into a raffle for a $100 gift card to your Southern Indie bookstore.

Southern Book Prize honors the best books of last year, but a new month also means a new Read This Next! list of what booksellers think are some of the best books coming out this month:

"This is how you write historical fiction," says The Book Worm Bookstore about Sadeqa Johnson’s Keeper of Lost Children. Murder Bimbo gave me just what I needed – a messy, unreliable narrator, a political-ish point of view that’s long on wit and style," writes Tombolo Books. "A chilling, darkly humorous, sci-fi thriller with a sharp real-world edge had me turning the pages nonstop" says Hills and Hamlets Bookshop about Operation Bounce House. "If you love a strong forearm, Swedish Fish, and passive-aggressive Post-It Notes – this one is for you," gushes Kiss and Tale Romance Bookshop about B.K. Borison’s And Now, Back to You. And a bookseller at Novel. thinks they should create a whole new subgenre for Lauren Groff’s Brawler.

Pick one up and discover your next new favorite author.

Featuring reviews of:

• Eating Ashes by Brenda Navarro, reviewed by Charlie, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
• Just Watch Me by Lior Torenberg, reviewed by Ryan, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina
• Linger by Hetty Lui McKinnon, reviewed by Jamie, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  
  
• Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown, reviewed by Eden, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
  
  
• Eyes, Knees, Boundaries, Please! by Eyes, Knees, Boundaries, Please! by Krupa Bhojani Playforth, Julia Bereciartu (Illus.), reviewed by Kait, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama
• Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta, reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  
  
• Vigil by George Saunders, reviewed by Savannah Laughlin, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
• Bookseller Buzz: All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson | 2026 Newbery Medal Winner, reviewed by Sheri Bancroft, Novel., Memphis, Tennessee; Jenny Gilroy, E. Shaver, Bookseller, Savannah, Georgia; Lupe Penn, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The week of January 26, 2026

One more week to vote!

This is the last week readers can vote for their favorite Southern books of the year. Right now votes in each of the ballot categories — fiction, nonfiction, and young readers — are all so close that anything could happen, and any vote could be the deciding vote. , You have a chance to make some of your favorite authors very happy:
Vote for your favorite Southern books of the year.

Featuring reviews of:

• Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin, reviewed by Frances, Blinking Owl Books in Fort Myers, Florida
• A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James, reviewed by Brooke, Spellbound Bookstore in Sanford, Florida
• Mega Milk by Megan Milks, reviewed by Charlie, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
  
  
• Fustuk by Robert Mgrdich Apelian, reviewed by Mallory, Bards Alley in Vienna, Virginia
  
  
• Secrets of the Broken House by Taryn Souders, reviewed by Susanne, Sassafras on Main in Waynesville, North Carolina
• Normal People by Sally Rooney, reviewed by  Sarah, E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia
  
  
• Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash, reviewed by Kat, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee
• Bookseller Buzz: Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet, reviewed by Alissa, South Main Book Company in Salisbury, North Carolina; Lady, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama; Rae Ann, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee 

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The week of December 29, 2025

Choose the best Southern novel of the year.

Voting is still ongoing for the 2026 Southern Book Prize, where readers decide the all-important question of “what is the best Southern book of the year.”

Vote here!

The Southern Book Prize chooses six finalists in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers. Each finalist has been put forward by Southern independent booksellers as the “best of the year” in their category. SBR readers have already been introduced to the finalists in the Nonfiction and Young Readers categories. Now, with only a month to go before voting closes, here is what Southern booksellers have to say about the books in the Fiction category.

SBP Fiction Finalists

Hellions by Julia Elliott (Tin House Books)

“Swampy Southern Gothic at its finest. These stories are lush, each driven by magical, wicked, wholly-alive characters so deeply rooted in their surroundings—or their desires—its difficult to see where person begins and wild ends. ” –Miranda Sanchez, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Berkley)

“This dual timeline, multi-generational story explores the real Kingdom of Happy Land that was created by ex-slaves on the North Carolina / South Carolina border in the 1870s, and its lingering legacy in the present day.  If you have a place that gives you peace and security, that you long for when you are away, you will understand this story.” –Amy Dance, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (Flatiron Books)

“What can’t S.A. Cosby write? When it comes to crime fiction loaded with action, Cosby is the man! Once again, Cosby takes the reader on a journey that one is not fully prepared for. King of Ashes begs the question of how far are you willing to go for the family you love? ” –Kayla Saxon, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson (Ecco)

“In Kevin Wilson’s latest, we have a different kind of sibling drama–one in which the siblings in question don’t even know the others exist. That is, until they’re thrown together in a PT Cruiser on a road trip to ambush–er, confront–the father who abandoned them all. With heart, humor, and empathy, Kevin Wilson explores the divide between the family we’re born with and the family we choose, and what happens when they intersect.” –Joyce McKinnon, Thank You Books in Birmingham, Alabama

Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One by Kristen Arnett (Riverhead Books)

“Don’t let the title fool you – you haven’t heard this one before. Kristen Arnett pratfalls her way into our hearts with a more gay, more unhinged, more Florida version of a John Hughes movie of a book. The absurdity only makes the characters more real. Sometimes, being funny is serious business.” –Dominic Howarth, Book + Bottle in St. Petersburg, Florida

The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram (Zibby Books)

“This story weaves together love, ambition, and love — and how it can one day circle back to you, bringing up old secrets. This is the summer read you’re waiting for, with explorations of resilience, lost love, and beautifully flawed characters.” –Leah Fallon, Birch Tree Bookstore in Leesburg, Virginia

Featuring reviews of:

• The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey, reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina
• Queen Esther by John Irving, reviewed by Karen Dugger, Righton Books in Saint Simons Island, Georgia
• Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-Reum, reviewed by Kimberly Todd, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
  
  
• I’ll Find You Where the Timeline Ends by Kylie Lee Baker, reviewed Tamara Browning, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina
• Moon Cat by Casi Cole, reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, reviewed by Rebecca Speas, One More Page Books in Arlington, Virginia
  
  
• The Barn by Wright Thompson, reviewed by Amanda Grell, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Bookseller Buzz: Television by Lauren Rothery, reviewed by  Doron Klemer. Octavia Books in New Orleans, Louisiana; Ross Ramirez, E. Shaver, Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia; Kristen Iskandrian, Thank You Books in Birmingham, Alabama

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The week of December 15, 2025

Make a bookseller’s day – vote now.

Voting is still ongoing for the 2026 Southern Book Prize, where readers decide the all-important question of “what is the best Southern book of the year.”

Vote here!

One of the perks of voting is that you can enter a raffle to win a selection of Southern Book Prize finalists. Another is that the finalists make a great list of last-minute gift ideas for the readers on your holiday list. (See the nonfiction finalists list below.)

And perhaps the best perk of all is that you get to show your local bookstore how much you appreciate them. One of the questions on the ballot is simply a space that says, “Say something nice about your local bookstore.”

SBR passes along to bookshops the comments people made about the store when they voted—a welcome moment of cheer during a busy holiday season. Hearing how much you value your local bookstore is one of the best presents you can give them. 

Make a bookseller’s day, vote now.

SBP Nonfiction Finalists

The Harder I Fight the More I Love You: A Memoir 

Neko Case (Grand Central Publishing)

“I have long admired Neko Case as a powerful singer and incredible songwriter, so I was desperate to get my hands on this book — but you don’t have to already be a fan to be moved by her story. The rawness and vulnerability that Case shares in her life’s story give me a new appreciation for her album.” –Emily Liner, Friendly City Books in Columbus, Mississippi

Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations

Alton Brown (Gallery Books)

“You don’t have to be familiar with any food programs to have great fun reading these essays. Funny, quirky, and honest, they are as much about life as food, or even food as life.” –Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People 

Imani Perry (Ecco)

“A stunning, kaleidoscopic work of intense research and imagination, spanning centuries, disciplines, and profoundly moving possibilities, from one of our most innovative thinkers. Perry’s writing deserves its own rich shade of blue.” –Kristen Iskandrian, Thank You Books in Birmingham, Alabama

The New Book: Poems, Letters, Blurbs, and Things 

Nikki Giovanni (William Morrow)

“Reading Nikki Giovanni’s final collection of poetry is a bittersweet experience. The New Book is full of reflection and encourages readers to think critically about recent events in our nation’s history. It feels like a final love letter, urging us to be kind to ourselves and to one another.” –Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging 

Tara Roberts (National Geographic)

“A memoir, a message, and a deeply felt paean to history. Roberts weaves her personal narrative into the depths of the history she shares all the while highlighting the reasons these sites go underresearched and stories untold. Moving, inspiring, and essential reading!” –Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

All These Ghosts  

Silas House (Blair)

“So glad that the former Kentucky Poet Laureate has a poetry collection at last! As with his fiction, House’s work resonates most deeply the closer he stays to his Appalachian roots. Poems about queerness, protest, timesickness and soup beans all exist side by side in this collection, as in life.” –Sam Miller, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky

Featuring reviews of:

• The Book of Luke by Lovell Holder, reviewed by Thomas Wallace, Reading Rock Books in Dickson, Tennessee
• The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell, reviewed by Claire McWhorter, River & Hill Books in Rome, Georgia
• Paper Girl by Beth Macy, reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  
  
• Final Cut by Olivia Worley, reviewed by Sarah Dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
• Dragonborn by Struan Murray, reviewed by Stacey Sanford, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
• The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson, reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
  
  
• Dog Show: Poems by Billy Collins, reviewed by Sheri Bancroft, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee
• Bookseller Buzz: Family of Spies by Christine Keuhn,  Horton’s Books & Gifts in Carrollton , Georgia; Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser, Inc. Marietta, Georgia; Claire McWhorter, River & Hill Books in Rome, Georgia; Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The week of December 2, 2025

Read these next.

New December books loved by Southern indie booksellers.

Because there is a book out there for every kind of reader.

Founded on our booksellers’ conviction that you can never have too many good books, Read This Next! is a list of books coming out each month that booksellers are especially excited about. Read This Next! Kids is a bimonthly list of forthcoming Children’s and Young Adult Books receiving Southern indie bookseller love.

This month’s list includes steamy romance, reality TV, and a Nobel Prize winner. Because indie booksellers read everything, and really believe there is a book for every kind of reader.

See what books are on the list for December.

Happy reading!

Featuring reviews of:

• House of Day, House of Night by Olda Tokarczuk, reviewed by Catherine Pabalate, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Our Gifted Hearts by Jennifer Kennedy, reviewed by Kathy Clemmons, Sundog Books in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
• Tea is Love by Adib Khorram, reviewed by Jennifer Sauter-Price, Read Early and Daily (READ) in Arlington, Virginia
• A Guilded in Vengeance by Lyssa Mia Smith, reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana
• A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls by Adam Morgan, reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina
• Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich, reviewed by Krista Roach, E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia
• Fake Skating by Lynn Painter, reviewed by Kimberly Todd, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
• Bookseller Buzz: Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino, Barb Rascon, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Allyn Oliver, The Bluffton Bookshop in Bluffton, South Carolina, Maggie Robe, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The week of November 23, 2025

Southern bookstores feed their communities.

When the government shut down and SNAP benefits were revoked for millions of Americans, Southern indie bookstores were among the many small businesses that stepped up for their communities. And even though SNAP benefits have been reinstated, many vulnerable households are still set to potentially permanently lose them. A Congressional Budget Office report published in August estimated that more than 3 million Americans could lose assistance over the next few years. Here are just some of the things Southern bookstores are doing to help:

Baldwin & Co., New Orleans, LA is holding a “Friendsgiving Brunch” on November 22 to give away free food and toys and gifts for children to help families prepare for the holidays.

Bigfoot Books & Brews, Marion, NC: For every drink sold, they donate $1 to Foothills Food Hub for families in need.

Book Exchange, Marietta, GA: Running a food donation drive for Must Ministries Donation Center.

The Book Tavern, Augusta, GA: Through November 26, running a non-perishable food donation drive for Golden Harvest Food Bank, and donating 10% of profits to the food bank.

The Book Worm Bookstore, Powder Springs, GA has established a “free shelf” inside the store filled with canned goods and personal care items to offer support to neighbors. Customers who donate receive 10% off one book as a thank you.

Bookish, Atlanta, GA has launched the “Bookish Mutual Aid Pantry” in East Atlanta for toiletries and basic household items.

Brave + Kind Books, Decatur, GA is collecting non-perishable food items for local food pantries.

Charis Books & More, Decatur, GA donated a percentage of sales during their birthday weekend (November 8-9) to New Disabled South’s food assistance program for disabled people in the South.

Dickson Street Bookshop, Fayetteville, AR ran a food donation drive for the NWA Food Bank from November 3-17.

Ernest & Hadley Books, Tuscaloosa, AL is using their “Brick House” event space to collect shelf stable food to donate to Grace Presbyterian Church’s Table of Grace food pantry.

Hub City Bookshop, Spartanburg, SC is running a donation drive for Total Ministries, who have provided food and financial support to the Spartanburg community since 1982. Customers who donate receive 10% off a store purchase.

Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA is running a donation drive of non-perishable food items and toiletries for the Decatur-area Emergency Assistance Ministry (DEAM) through the end of the month.

M. Judson Booksellers, Greenville, SC: During the month of November, running a food drive for Harvest Hope, a local nonprofit serving more than 20 counties in South Carolina. Customers who donate five or more food items receive a coupon for a free drip coffee, cookie, or tea.

My Sisters Books, Pawleys Island, SC is collecting food items for the Baskervill Food Pantry. Folks who donate receive an MSB&G scratcher filled with surprise savings.

Page 158 Books, Wake Forest, NC is collecting non-perishable items for the local food bank.

Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN is collecting donations for Second Harvest at Ann Patchett’s holiday office hours (Mondays in November).

Queer Haven Books, Columbia, SC is partnering with other local businesses to hold a canned food drive during the month of November.

Storybook Shoppe, Bluffton, SC is running their 9th annual Pajama Drive for Child Abuse Prevention Associates (CAPA). Each pair of pajamas donated is matched with a book so children receive both as a holiday gift.

Tombolo Books, St. Petersburg, FL is running a community donation drive through the end of the year for non-perishable food items, hygiene products, and infant supplies, to be donated to the St. Pete Free Clinic.

Underbrush Books, Rogers, AR ran a food donation drive for local food pantries. Customers who donated received 10% off a store purchase.

There is so much good will in the bookselling community! Check in with your local bookstore to see how you can help.

by Candice Huber, Membership Coordinator The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance

Happy reading!

Featuring reviews of:

• The Definitions by Matt Greene, reviewed by Gabriela Warner, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• The Living and the Dead by Christoffer Carlsson, reviewed by Kathy Clemmons, Sundog Books in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
• The Uncool by Cameron Crowe, reviewed by Sarah Goldstein, Old Town Books in Alexandria, Virginia
• Anzuelo by Emma Rios, reviewed by Jonathan Hawpe, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky
• The Coziest Place on the Moon by Maria Popova, reviewed by Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
• The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes, reviewed by Julie Jarema, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia
• The Mad Wife by Meagan Church, reviewed by Morgan Gayles, The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, Georgia
• Bookseller Buzz: Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts, reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina, Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana, Thais Perkins, Reverie Books in Austin, Texas

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The week of November 16, 2025

The best Southern books of the year for young readers

The Southern Book Prize chooses six finalists in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers. Each finalist has been put forward by Southern independent booksellers as the "best of the year" in their category.

Here is what bookseller have to say about the books in the young readers category:

Millie Fleur Saves the Night
by Christy Mandin (Orchard Books)

"This stunningly illustrated picture book is fun to read aloud, and shows what happens when you approach something you always thought was scary with curiosity."
– Mandy Harris, Angel Wings Bookstore in Stem, North Carolina | BUY

On Again, Awkward Again
by Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia (Amulet Books)

This hilariously told young adult romantic comedy captures all the stumbling sweetness of first love. The highs, lows, and all the awkward moments in between of Pacy and Cecil’s love story will have you singing and dancing along to your favorite 90’s R&B song.
– Laura Hoefener, Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, Georgia | BUY

J vs. K
by Kwame Alexander, Jerry Craft (illus.) (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

These two superstars in the literary world live and breathe getting kids to love reading and are such advocates of telling real stories for all. Their pretend jabbing is something that will leave you on the floor laughing.
– Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina | BUY

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze
by Derrick Barnes (Viking Books for Young Readers)

This story feels so real and so now, especially with the way athletes, young and old, are standing up against injustice and police brutality. Power story and an on time read.
– Morgan Gayles, The Book Worm in Powder Springs, Georgia | BUY

Witchkiller
by Ashlee Latimer (Scholastic)

I flew through this continuation of Hansel and Gretel’s story! I really appreciated the emotional maturity in all the characters. What a breath of fresh air for a teenage character to act like a teenager! This story of empowerment, female friendship, and sweet, sweet justice.
– Chelsea Bauer, Union Ave Books in Knoxville, Tennessee | BUY

Ripening Time
by Patrice Gopo, Carlos Vélez Aguilera (artist) (WorthyKids)

Gopo weaves themes of family heritage, the joy of anticipation, and the small pain of waiting into a sweet story of purchasing plantains and watching them ripen before the family can fry them up for a delicious treat.
– Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina | BUY

Voting for the Southern Book Prize is open now and will run through February 1, 2026. All readers who love Southern literature and Southern independent bookstores can vote for their favorites.

See all the finalists | Vote for your favorite books

Readers also have a chance to enter a raffle to receive a set of the finalist titles and a $100 gift card to their local indie bookstore or Bookshop.org. Even better, when you vote, you also have a chance to say something nice about your favorite bookstore.

Happy reading!

Featuring reviews of:

• Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz, reviewed by Preet Singh, Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, Georgia
• On the Calculation of Volume (Book III) by Solvuj Balle, reviewed by Kristen Iskandrian, Thank You Books in Birmingham, Alabama
• Joyride by Susan Orlean, reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina
• Mercy by Patricia Ward, reviewed by Tamara Browning, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina
• The Old Sleigh by Jarrett Pumphrey, reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee
• Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, reviewed by Mallory Sutton, Bards Alley in Vienna, Virginia
• Glitter Kittens by William Joyce, reviewed by Kimberly Todd, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
• Bookseller Buzz: The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram, reviewed by Thomas Wallace, Reading Rock Books in Dickson, Tennessee, Jenny Gilroy, E. Shaver, Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia, Karmen Somers, Court Street Books in Florence, Alabama

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The week of November 9, 2025

Your favorite bookstores and why you love them.

The Southern Book Prize ballot launched on November 1, and has already received over 100 responses from readers and customers of 60+ bookstores in all 11 states in SIBA’s territory.

As part of the ballot, readers are asked to name their local bookstore and say why they like to shop there. The responses, which in the past have ranged from “they have great staff” to “they carry every Star Wars book I’m looking for,” are something the people at SBR always look forward to reading. Here are a few from the first week of voting:

“They are my favorite place to go in the city that I love.”  ― a customer of All Good Books in Columbia, SC

“I absolutely love the feeling when I step inside Square Books. It’s like a warm hug from a friend you want to spend hours with.”  ― a customer of Square Books in Oxford, MS

“Knowledge is power! Feed the people fuel the revolution!”  ― a customer of Blacksburg Books in Blacksburg, VA

“They do the best event programming!”  ― a customer of Charis Books & More in Decatur, GA

“THE best. It’s like stepping in between worlds. Great service too.”  ― a customer of Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA

Voting for the Southern Book Prize is open now and will run through February 1, 2026. All readers who love Southern literature and Southern independent bookstores can vote for their favorites.

See the finalists | Vote for your favorite books

Readers also have a chance to enter a raffle to receive a set of the finalist titles and a $100 gift card to their local indie bookstore or Bookshop.org. Even better, when you vote, you also have a chance to say something nice about your favorite bookstore.

Happy reading!

Featuring reviews of:

• Secret Nights and Northern Lights, reviewed by Christina Tabereaux, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama
• Daddy Issues by Kate Goldbeck, reviewed by Megan Bell, The Underground Bookshop LLC in Carrollton, Georgia
• Next of Kin by Gabrielle Hamilton, reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
• I Want to Burn This Place Down by Maris Kreizman, reviewed by Rachel Knox, Tombolo Books in St Petersburg, Florida
• How Girls Are Made by Mindy McGinnis, reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
• Vida by Duncan Tonatiuh, reviewed by Laura Hoefener, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia
• Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler, reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia
• How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks, reviewed by Fisher Nash, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky
• Bookseller Buzz: Winging It by Megan Wagner Lloyd, Michelle Mee Nutter (illus.), reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Mandy Harris, Angel Wings Bookstore in Oxford, North Carolina, Barb Rascon, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The week of October 26, 2025

The books Southern indie booksellers want you to read next.

The Southern Bookseller Review online generally puts new reviews from bookstores into one of two categories: Read This Now! is for the books that booksellers are, well, reading right now: any genre, any format, any publication date. Read This Next! is the category SBR reserves for books that have just been published and are getting exceptionally enthusiastic buzz from Southern indie booksellers. These are books that may be new to SBR readers, and local booksellers are putting into their hands with that one comment that makes every avid booklover perk up and take notice: “You’ve got to read this!“

Read This Next! changes every month. See the October list before it disappears!

Happy reading!

Featuring reviews of:

• Boom Town by Nic Stone, reviewed by Jess Bryant, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia, by Tayllor Johns, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina
• Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia Butler by Susana M. Morris, reviewed by Doron Klemer, Octavia Books in New Orleans, Louisiana
• The Secret Life of a Cemetery: The Wild Nature and Enchanting Lore of Pere Chase by Benoît Gallot, reviewed by Sarah Goldstein, Old Town Books in Alexandria, Virginia
• Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer, reviewed by Tori Finklea, Union Avenue Books in Knoxville, Tennessee
• Cat Nap by Brian Lies reviewed by Jamie Kovacs, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story created by Nikole Hannah-Jones, by Jamie Fiocco, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami, reviewed by Doron Klemer, Octavia Books in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Bookseller Buzz: Last Chance Live! by Helena Haywoode Henry, reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia, Ashton Ahart, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Sarah Cottrell, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky

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The week of October 19, 2025

A brand new look. The same great recommendations.

The Southern Bookseller Review has a new look! We’ve streamlined things under the hood to make it easier to read on any device and consistent with current accessibility standards. Readers will still find great book recommendations from Southern booksellers, including fiction, nonfiction, and books for young readers. Links for ebook editions have also been included where possible. Subscribers can easily manage their subscription using the links at the bottom of the email.

Featuring reviews of:

• The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers, reviewed by Kristen Iskandrian, Thank You Books in Birmingham, Alabama
• The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong, reviewed by Lucile Perkins-Wagel, Blinking Owl Books in Fort Myers, Florida
• Such Great Heights: The Complete Cultural History of the Indie Rock Explosion by Chris DeVille, reviewed by Sarah Rhu, Scuppernong Books in Greensboro, North Carolina
• Dead and Alive: Essays by Zadie Smith, reviewed by Michael Yetter, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington, Kentucky
• The Leaving Room by Amber McBride, reviewed by Victoria Thatcher-Milton, The Bottom in Knoxville, Tennessee
• Broken by X. Fang, reviewed by Julie Jarema, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina
• In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, reviewed by Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia
• Buffalo Fluffalo and Puffalo by Bess Kalb, reviewed by Samantha Steele, Plenty Downtown Bookshop in Cookeville, Tennessee
• Bookseller Buzz: War Games by Alan Gratz, reviewed by David Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Doron Klemer, Octavia Books in New Orleans, Louisiana, Wilson Robbins, Novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

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